Body Scan Meditation

This is a traditional Body Scan Meditation and it will last for 30 minutes. A good practice to use when you're feeling stressed or need to unwind from your day.

Transcript

The body scan meditation.

You do the body scan lying down,

Either on a mat or a rug on the floor,

Or on your bed,

If it's not too soft,

In a place where you'll be warm and undisturbed,

And in your own time,

If it's right for you,

Allowing your eyes gently to close,

And taking a few moments at first to get in touch with the movement of your breath and the sensations in your body.

And the intention here is simply to be aware of whatever you find as you move your attention around your body.

This practice is not about trying to feel any different,

Not relaxed or calm.

That may happen or it may not.

Instead,

As best you can,

Just bringing awareness to whatever sensations you find as you focus your attention on each part of the body in turn.

And if the sensations in any part of the body are faint or even barely perceptible,

That's okay.

Just being aware of that.

And start by bringing your awareness to the sensations of touch or pressure,

Where your body makes contact with the floor or bed.

And on each out-breath,

Allowing yourself to sink just a little deeper into the mat or bed.

Feeling its support.

Just giving yourself over to whatever you are lying on,

Sinking into it,

Letting it hold you.

Now bringing awareness to the physical sensations in the abdomen.

Becoming aware of the changing patterns of sensations as you breathe in and as you breathe out.

And taking a few moments here to really feel those sensations as you breathe in and as you breathe out.

Feeling the slight stretching in the abdomen as you breathe in,

A sense of gentle release as you breathe out.

Just breathing.

And letting go of the attention to breathing now and bringing your focus of awareness down the left leg and all the way down to the toes.

Focusing first on the big toe of the left foot.

Feeling a gentle,

Interested,

Affectionate attention to whatever sensations you find in the big toe of the left foot.

Maybe there is a sense of tingling there or warmth or numbness perhaps.

Whatever's there.

Perhaps no sensations at all.

And if that's the case,

Just being aware of that.

Just being aware as best you can of whatever you experience right now in the big toe of your left foot.

And shifting the focus of awareness to the little toe.

Becoming aware of whatever feelings there are in the little toe.

Maybe there is a feeling of contact with the air or with your sock.

And moving your attention to each of the toes in turn.

Feeling whatever sensations there are right now in the toes of the left foot.

And when you are ready,

On an in-breath,

Feel or imagine the breath entering the lungs and then passing all the way down the body,

Down the left leg,

Through the left foot all the way to the toes of the left foot.

And on an out-breath,

Feel or imagine the breath coming all the way back up from the toes,

Up through the leg and torso and out through the nose.

And continue breathing in this way for a few breaths.

Breathing down into the toes on each in-breath and back up from the toes on each out-breath.

And just approaching this playfully,

Imaginatively and experimentally.

Breathing down to the toes on the in-breath and up from the toes on the out-breath.

So in your own time.

And when you are ready,

On an out-breath,

Just letting the breath breathe itself.

And letting go of awareness of the toes.

And bringing your awareness to the sensations on the bottom of your left foot.

Feeling the sole of the left foot.

Becoming perhaps aware of the movement of air across the sole or the feeling of your sock on it.

Becoming aware of the in-step.

Noticing whatever sensations there are in the in-step right now.

And the top of the left foot.

And the heel.

Becoming aware perhaps of the sensations of touch or pressure.

Where the heel makes contact with whatever it is resting on.

Becoming aware then of the ankle.

Sensing any stiffness in the ankle.

Perhaps numbness or tingling.

Whatever is there.

Just feeling whatever there is to feel in the left ankle now.

Then on an out-breath,

On its right for you,

Letting go of the attention to the left foot completely.

And allowing the focus of attention to move to the lower leg.

Feeling the sensation of contact,

Where the calf makes contact with the mat or bed.

Becoming aware of the changing pattern of sensations right along the whole length of the calf of the lower left leg.

Aware then of the shin.

Sensing perhaps how the skin stretches tightly across the shin.

Just feeling the long solidity of the shin bone.

And when the mind wanders,

As it surely will,

That's just what minds do.

It's not a mistake or fault.

But just noticing perhaps where the mind wandered to and gently bringing it back.

Focusing once more on the sensations in the shin.

And becoming aware then of the knee and the knee joint.

Feeling the kneecap.

Perhaps in contact with clothing.

Aware of the underside of the knee.

And feeling whatever sensations there are right now in the whole area of your knee.

And moving your attention now to your left thigh.

Feeling the sensations of contact perhaps,

Where your thigh touches whatever it is you are lying on.

And becoming aware of the upper side of your thigh.

Maybe sensing the sensation of clothing on the upper side of your thigh.

And expanding the sense of sensation to take in the whole of the left thigh.

Becoming aware of any tension there may be.

Just feeling the whole pattern of sensations throughout the whole length of the left thigh.

And now,

When it's right for you,

On an out breath,

Letting go of attention to the left leg completely.

And moving your focus of awareness to your right leg.

And bringing your attention first of all to the big toe of your right foot.

And with a curious,

Affectionate attention.

Just feeling whatever sensations there are right now in the big toe.

Maybe some tingling there.

Maybe warmth or coolness.

Maybe numbness.

Whatever you find.

And shifting the focus of awareness to the little toe.

Becoming aware,

As best you can,

Of whatever sensations there are in the little toe right now.

And aware of the toes in between.

And as best you can,

Being aware of whatever sensations there are right now in the toes of the right foot.

And when you are ready,

On an in breath,

Feel or imagine the air entering the lungs.

And passing all the way down the body.

And down the right leg to the right foot.

And all the way to the toes.

And then on an out breath,

Feel or imagine the breath coming all the way back up from the toes.

Up the right leg,

Through the torso,

And out through the nose.

And if it's right for you,

Continue breathing in this way for a few breaths.

So in your own time,

Breathing down into the toes of the right foot on each in breath.

And back up from the toes on each out breath.

Again,

Just approaching this playfully,

Imaginatively,

Experimentally.

Breathing down to the toes on the in breath,

Up from the toes on the out breath.

And then in your own time.

And then when you are ready,

On an out breath,

Letting it breathe itself.

Letting go of awareness of the toes and bringing your awareness to the sensations on the bottom of the right foot.

Becoming aware of whatever sensations there are on the sole of the foot.

And the instep,

The top of the foot,

And the heel.

Just feeling the sensations of touch or pressure,

Where the right heel makes contact with whatever you are lying on.

Becoming aware of the right angle.

Just feeling whatever there is to be felt in the right ankle right now.

And then when you are ready,

On an out breath,

Letting go of awareness of the right foot completely.

And allowing your focus of awareness to move to the lower right leg.

Feeling the sensation of contact,

Where your right calf touches whatever you are lying on.

And becoming aware of the pattern of sensations right along the length of the calf.

And aware of your right shin.

Feeling how the skin stretches tightly across the shin.

Just feeling the whole length of the shin bone.

And becoming aware of your right knee.

And the knee joint.

Maybe feeling the knee cap in contact with clothing.

Just being aware as best you can of whatever sensations there are at this very moment in your right knee.

And when your mind wanders.

Just noting where it's been and gently,

Kindly bringing your attention back.

In this case to your right knee.

And moving attention now to your right thigh.

Feeling the contact perhaps between your thigh and whatever you are lying on.

Becoming aware of the upper side of the thigh.

And maybe sensing it in contact with clothing.

And just feeling the pattern of sensations throughout the whole of the right thigh.

And then when you are ready,

On an out breath,

Letting go of attention to the right leg completely.

And moving the focus of attention to the pelvic area.

Just feeling whatever sensations there are in the pelvic area right now.

Becoming aware of your buttocks.

Sensing the contact of your buttocks and whatever you are lying on.

And allowing your attention to move from there to your hips.

Exploring your hip joints.

Just feeling whatever sensations there are right now in your hip joints.

And then when it's right for you,

Taking a slightly deeper breath in.

And on the out breath,

Letting go of the pelvic area completely.

And allowing the spotlight of your awareness to move into the lower back.

Becoming aware of any tenseness or stiffness perhaps in the lower back.

And as you are doing this body scan,

If you become aware of any tension or any other intense sensations in any part of the body.

You might breathe into that sensation.

Using your in breath to bring your awareness right into the sensation.

And on the out breath as best you can,

Letting go of the sensation.

So continuing to explore the lower back.

Breathing into any tension you find there as best you can.

Allowing the lower back to soften and let go.

And allowing the focus of your attention to move to your upper back.

Exploring whatever sensations you find right now in your upper back.

Becoming aware of your rib cage,

Maybe feeling the rib cage moving with the breath.

Maybe sensing contact between ribs and closing.

And letting your awareness move to the abdomen.

Becoming aware of its rising and falling as you breathe in and as you breathe out.

Exploring that whole pattern of sensations in the abdomen as you breathe in and as you breathe out.

And letting the awareness spread out into the chest and the breast area.

And when it's right for you taking a deeper breath in and on the out breath letting go of attention to the upper body altogether.

And moving your attention down the arms,

Down the hands,

Right to the tips of the fingers.

And we do both hands together here.

So noticing any tingling perhaps at the ends of your fingers and thumbs.

Just being aware as best you can of any sensations that are right now in the tips of your fingers and thumbs.

And then if it's okay for you,

You might try breathing in through the nose.

And letting the breath travel down the body and all the way down to the tips of the fingers and thumbs.

And then on the out breath coming out from the fingers and thumbs.

Up through the arms and out through the nose.

And again approaching this imaginatively,

Playfully and experimentally.

Breathing down to the fingers and thumb tips on the in breath and up from the fingers and thumb tips on the out breath.

Just doing that in your own time for a few breaths.

And then when you are ready,

Letting the breath breathe itself again.

And broadening out your awareness to take in the whole of your fingers and thumbs.

Feeling the palms of your hands.

Perhaps noticing the current of air passing over your palms.

Becoming aware of the backs of your palms where they touch the mat or whatever you are lying on.

And aware of your wrists and allowing your attention to move from there to your lower arms.

And when the mind wanders,

Just acknowledging where it has been and gently returning the focus of your attention to the lower arms.

Feeling whatever sensations there are right now in your elbows.

Maybe sensing the contact between your elbows and whatever you are lying on.

And letting the awareness move from there to the upper arms.

Just feeling whatever sensations there are in your upper arms right now.

And if you find yourself falling asleep at any time during this body scan,

You can always open your eyes to let some light in.

And letting the focus of your attention move to your shoulders.

And this is one of those areas where many of us hold our tensions.

And if that is happening for you,

You might try seeing if you can breathe into that tension.

And then with a gentle accepting awareness,

Just allowing it to soften and let go to whatever extent it is able to.

And allowing your awareness to move up to your neck.

Feeling the pattern of sensations right across the back of your neck.

Becoming aware of your throat.

Maybe feeling your tongue arising up within your throat.

Sensing your contact between tongue and roof of mouth.

Becoming aware of the contact between your tongue and your teeth.

And feeling the contact between teeth and lips.

Becoming aware of the outside of your lips.

Maybe feeling aware across the upper lip.

Becoming aware of your nostrils.

Maybe sensing a slight tingling in the nostrils as the air passes over them.

And letting your awareness now move to your eyes.

Sensing your eyelids.

Your temples.

Feeling the sensations in your forehead right now.

And the back of your head.

And the crown of your head.

And if it's okay for you,

You may imagine that there is a hole in the top of your head.

Rather like the blowhole of a whale or a dolphin.

Which you can breathe in and out of.

So you breathe in through the crown of your head.

And the breath sweeps down your body and comes out from the soles of your feet.

And then you breathe in through the soles of your feet.

And the breath sweeps up your body and out through the crown of your head.

So just sweeping the body in this way for a few breaths in your own time.

Approaching this playfully,

Experimentally.

Breathing in through the crown of the head.

And out through the feet.

In through the feet and out through the crown of the head.

Breathing in through the crown of the head and out through the feet.

And then letting the breath just breathe itself again in your own time.

And beginning to bring this body scan meditation to a close now.

So when you are ready,

Rolling over onto one side perhaps.

And taking your time about this.

And resolving as best you can to keep this mindfulness with you as you move into the rest of the day.

And in your own time,

Opening your eyes and coming to move again.

Thank you.

Reviews

Thank you for this wonderful body scan practice 🙏🏼

Loved this meditation and look forward to future meditations from this teacher. Thank you!

I love the experimenting, playful idea of the breath moving up and down the body. A nice suggestion that differentiated from other more formal MBSR bodyscans. Great, thank you.